Capstone Descriptions

 

Required Capstone

 

499B - Business Strategy Capstone

(Brother Bruce Kusch)

This capstone is generally accepted by graduate/MBA programs

 

ALL students are required to take this capstone -

 

Students will form integrated teams to solve strategic business cases and execute a major project. Cases will cover these areas: Establishing company direction, industry and competitive analysis, evaluating company resources and capabilities, establishing a competitive advantage, competing globally, new business models, corporate culture and leadership. Teams will be balanced to force each participant into an active role in their area of expertise. The class will utilize a textbook as a resource, but primary evaluation will come from written and oral case solutions and a team project, rather than examinations. Hands-on experience will assist in crafting a business strategy and problem-solving, reasoning carefully about strategic options, using both qualitative and quantitative "what-if" analysis to evaluate action alternatives, and making sound business decisions.

 

 

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Projects for Strategy Capstone -

 

Students have the option of:

 

• taking B 499B and doing a strategy project
• or
• taking B 499B and then donig one of the projects listed below (Events or Finance) - these projects require prior application - see information listed. 

  

499C - Events Management Society Capstone

(Sister Candyce Miller)

  

The capstone class is best taken during your last semester or at least your senior year and has six students.  Class meets Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, from 7:45 to 8:45 a.m. in Smith 272.  One of the three credits for the capstone class for business majors and minors includes required attendance for part of Brother Kusch's Strategy capstone, beginning the first day of the semester and following the schedule and assignments he gives you to fulfill one credit. 

 

One of the openings for Business majors during winter semester would offer the opportunity to return summer semester as President on a half-tuition scholarship/grant. 

 

If you are seriously interested in applying for a particular position in the class for winter semester, please choose your first- and second-choice positions from the organizational chart (pdf file) below, e-mail a resume to millerc@byui.edu, and call 496-1487 for an interview appointment to be held December 3, 5, 7, or 10 during class in Smith 272.

 

See Organizational Chart here.

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499C - Finance Capstone - Investment Management

(Brother Kimball Galbraith)

Winter 2008 Semester

 

Application:

Submit the following:

1. Updated resume
2. Write a brief letter describing why you want to take this capstone course.  In addition, summarize your strengths, weaknesses, and skills that you think would benefit the entire class.
3. If you have a current job offer, indicate what it is.  If you do not have an offer, describe the type of career you would like to pursue.

 

Finally, turn in your completed application to Sister Amy Staiger (Smith 231).  If you have questions, please contact Amy at 496-1413. 

 

Description:

This capstone course is designed to prepare students for employment in the Asset Management, Equity Research, or Sales & Trading arenas.   The primary objective of this course will be to help students expand their knowledge of Investment Management and develop skills that will be required to more effectively manage a stock portfolio. 

 

Students will begin the course by creating decision support models, identifying stock screening tools, immersing themselves in the market, learning how to effectively research companies, developing a profit & loss model, and creating risk measurement tools.

 

As a textbook for the class, students will be required to purchase a subscription to the Wall Street Journal where they will learn how to focus on current events that impact the market and affect stock prices.

 

Once the infrastructure is in place and the necessary skills are developed, the class will be given $20,000 actual dollars to invest and also be asked to manage a $400,000 portfolio consisting of "fictitious" money.  During the semester, stewardship reports with accountability for profits and losses will take place.

 

Learning Model:

The learning model for this course will focus primarily on peer-to-peer teaching and peer-to-peer learning.  This means that students will develop the models, conduct research, provide market updates, determine the asset allocation, make the security selection, and manage the portfolio. 

 

The learning approach will draw heavily upon the following principles:

• "Teach ye diligently and my grace shall attend you..." (D&C 88:78)
• "...seek learning, even by study and also by faith." (D&C 88:118)

 

As a class, when we seek the Spirit and diligently teach each other, we will receive His grace and learn by faith.  We will learn for ourselves that "it shall be given [unto us] in the very hour, yea, in the very moment, what [we] shall say." (D&C 100:6).  Furthermore, we will review our experiences and recognize the powerful influence the Spirit had in the learning process.

 

Targeted Students: 

Finance, Economics, and Accounting students who have completed the Integrated Finance Emphasis are invited to apply.

 

Objective:

This course is designed to target students who have a strong interest in pursuing a career in Asset Management, Equity Research, or Sales & Trading.  Enrollment will be based upon the completion of coursework prerequisites, meaningful internship experience, and enthusiasm shown in prior courses.

 

Dates and Times Offered

This class will be structured with a two credit component and a one credit component.  The two credit component will be taught by Brother Galbraith while the one credit component will be taught by Brother Kusch.  Brother Galbraith will work with students to help them develop hands-on experience in the stock market.  Brother Kusch will cover business strategy capstone cases that will help students develop problem solving strategy skills. 

 

Typically, students will meet no more than three days per week between the two teachers.  Students interested in taking this capstone course will need to be available on M W F from 7:45 a.m. to 8:45 a.m. for Brother Galbraith's class.  For Brother Kusch's one credit component, students have the choice of either signing up for a T Th 8:00 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. section or T TH 3:15 p.m. to 4:45 p.m. section.  Both teachers will carefully structure their classes so that the total in-class time between both classes is consistent with other three credit courses offered.

 

Prerequisites:

Finance, Economics, and Accounting students who have completed the Integrated Finance Emphasis (IFE) are invited to apply.  Students must complete the IFE before this course begins.

 

Qualifications:

Students who apply for this capstone should be highly motivated, have strong initiative, be assertive, work well in teams, be willing to work hard, and have completed their internship.

 

Comments:

This class will focus on peer-to-peer teaching and peer-to-peer learning.  This means that class members must take personal responsibility for the class.  Throughout the class, small student teams will be asked to volunteer for tasks that will benefit the entire class.  For example, one group may build a complex decision support model while another group analyzes several stocks.  As these two groups work in parallel, a third group may be focused on putting together a six month economic forecast.

 

As tasks are completed, students will take time to teach, train, and instruct other students in the class.  Grades in this class will be determined based upon personal effort, value added, professionalism, willingness to teach and be taught, and peer-to-peer reviews.

 

While we would like to accept all interested students into the class, only about 12 students will be admitted this semester.  If you are not accepted due to large demand, we hope that you will understand that seating is limited.